Adjustable type lever action



Dec. 22, 1959 A. Rlx 2,918,159

ADJUSTABLE TYPE LEVER ACTION Filed Dec. 18, 195s 4 sheets-sheet 1 Dec. 22, 1959 A. RIX

ADJUSTABLE TYPE LEVER ACTION Filed Dec. 18, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 fig-lauf 6'. M711 Dec. 22, 1959 A. Rlx 2,918,159

ADJUSTABLE TYPE LEVER ACTION Filed Dec. 18, 1958 4 Sheecs-Sheei'l 5 Dec. 22, 1959 A Rlx 2,918,159

ADJUSTABLE TYPE LEVER ACTION Filed Dec. 18, 195s 4 sheets-sheet 4 l 4, /l W ADJUSTABLE TYPE LEVER ACTTION Albert Rin, Wilhelmshaven, Roiihansen, Germany, assgnor to @lympia Werke A.G., Wilhelmshaven, Germany Application December 1S, 1958, Serial No. 781,301

Claims priority, application Germany December 2l, 1957 20 Claims. (Cl. 197-17) The present invention relates to an adjustable type lever action, and more particularly to an arrangement in which the impact force of the types of electric typewriters is adjusted.

The present invention is particularly advantageously applied to an electric typewriter in which the drive levers of the type lever actions are actuated by a continuously rotating motor-driven drum.

lt is desirable to adjust the impact force of the types, and in accordance with the present invention the impact force is adjusted by varying the length of the lever arms of the driven members on which the drive levers act.

lt is one object of the present invention to provide an arrangement for adjusting the impact force of types in an electrically driven typewriter.

Another object of tl e present invention is to provide an arrangement for simultaneously adjusting the impact force of types by operation of a single manually operated control means.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for adjusting the impact force of types by varying the turning moment transmitted from a drive member to a driven member.

A further object of the present invention is to vary the turning moment acting on a driven lever by varying the length of the lever arm on which a drve member acts.

With these objects in View, the present invention mainly consists in an adjustable type lever action which comprises a driven member for actuating a type means through a suitable articulated lever system and having a guide surface of preferably circular coniiguraton; fulcrum means supporting the driven member for turning movement about an axis between a normal position and an operative position; a drive member engaging the guide surface of the driven member and being movable substantially transverse to the guide surface between a normal positfon and an actuated position for turning the driven member to the operative position to actuate the type means; and control means for moving the fulcrum means in the direction ofthe guide surface of the driven member whereby the lever arm between the axis of the fulcrum means and the point of the guide surface engaged by the drive member is adjusted for varying the turning moment transmitted from the drive member to the driven member.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the driven member is a lever having a circular guide surface whose center is located in the axis of a carrier means which supports the fulcrum means.

The arrangement of the present invention overcomes certain disadvantages of the prior art in which the impact force of the types is adjusted by varying the rotary speed of a drive drum which acts on the drive member. Such adjustment of the rotary speed of the drive drum has an influence on other parts of the typewriter which are driven from the drum. ln contrast thereto, the construction of the present invention permits the opera- Patented Dee. 22, 1959 tion of the drive drum at a constant speed. The present invention permits the adjustment of the impact force of the types not only without a change of the rotary speed of the drive drum, but also avoids the disadvantages of other constructions in which the parts of the type lever action have to be separated for varying the impact force. in the arrangement of the present invention, all elements of the type lever action remain in engagement while the impact force of the type means is adjusted.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof,

will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of an arrangement according to the present invention partly shown in section for the sake of clarity;

Fig. 2 is a side view, partly shown in section, and illustrating the type lever action according to the present invention on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view, partly shown in sectfon, of a type lever action according to the present invention in another operational position; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a portion of a typewriter provided with an adjustable type lever action according to the present inventon with parts of the elements broken off for the sake of clarity.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1 and 4, the type lever action according to the present invention is provided in a known typewriter which includes a rotary drive drum 1 whch is continuously rotated by a motor, not illustrated. A keyboard is provided at the front of the typewriter, and includes a number of key levers 2 which are connected by a pair of links 4 and da to a support 3 so that the keys move straight downward when actuated. Support 3 carries a member 5 to which springs 6 are attached which urge the key levers 2 into a normal position. A set of key levers is provided which are guided in slots 12 of a transverse wall 12a which is secured to the side walls of the typewriter. Only one key lever 2 is illustrated to have an arm 2a passing through a slot 12 and being articulated by a pin 9 to an actuating member 10 which is urged by a spring 1l into a normal position in which its free end is located opposite a projection 19C on a drive lever 19. An arm lila of member lil is guided in a slot of a projecting portion of member 12a. Rubber cushions and 2l are mounted on support 3 for reducing the noise produced by the key levers. An end portion d!) of link Il abuts on rubber cushion 7 in the normal position of the key levers. A spring loaded member 119 cooperates with a projection on the drive member 19 for hold'ng the same in a normal position. The elastic bar 8 limits downward movements of key levers 2.

The stationary supporting means of the machine include a transverse member 13 having slots 13a in which support levers 14 are guided for turning movement about a shaft 15 which is mounted on member 13. An angular member 16 is mounted on member i3 and has a portion 16a connected by springs 17 to support levers 14. Slots 16e in member lo limit movement of supporting levers 14; under the action of springs 17, and a transverse projector lob limits turning movement of supporting levers 14 in clockwise direction.

The supporting means of the machine also include a member 27 which turnably supports a carrier means 22 3 for turning movement about a rst axis determined by pivot means 26a. Two pivot means 26a are preferably provided on a pair of supports 27, for supporting two arms 22a of the carrier means 22 which are interconnected by a transverse bar 225 which is shown broken off in the perspective view of Fig. 4. Bar 22h has a set of slots 22C in which a set of angular driven levers 24 is mounted for turning movement about fulcrum means 23. All driven levers 24 are turnable about the commcn axis of the fulcrum means 23, which is parallel to the axis defined by pivot means 26a about which carrier means 22 turns. Consequently fulcrum means 23 will move along a circular path having its center in the axis of pivot means 26a when the carrier means 22 is turned.

Each driven member 24 has an arm connected by a link 25 to an intermediate lever 26. A set of intermediate levers 26 is mounted in slots of supporting means 27 for turning movement about shaft means 26.

Each link 25 is turnably connected to the associated intermediate lever 26 at a point 26d which is located in the axis of the carrier means 22 defined by the pivot means 26a. A spring 28 connects each intermediate lever 26 with the corresponding driven lever 24 and tends to hold the levers in a normal position in which links 25 are substantially located in a plane passing through the axis of the carrier means 22 and the axis of the fulcrum means 23. Each intermediate lever 26 has an arm 26b which is connected by a link 29 to a type lever 30 which is mounted at 31 in a support 32. It is evident that turning of any driven lever 24 in counterclockwise direction will effect turning of the corresponding lever 26 in clockwise direction and actuation of the corresponding type lever 30.

The other arm 24a of driven lever 24 has a circular guide surface 24C which in the normal position illustrated in Fig. 1 has its center located in the axis defined by pivot means 26a and by pivot means 26d. Since the axis of fulcrum means 23 moves along a circular path about the axis defined by pivot means 26a' the circular guide surface 24C will move along a circular path coinciding with the circular guide surface 24e when carrier means 22 is turned together with fulcrum means 23.

In other words, when carrier means 22 is turned about the axis defined by pivot means 26a, the axis of fulcrum means will move in the direction of the circular guide surface 24C and more particularly along a circular path parallel to the guide surfaces 24e of the driven levers 24. Drive levers 19 are turnably mounted on pin means 18 on supporting arms 14a of supporting levers 14. Each drive lever 19 has an arm 19b carrying a roller 21 on a pin 20. Each roller cooperates with the guide surface 24e` of one driven lever 24. It will be appreciated that turning of carrier means 22 together with driven levers 24 will not dispace drive levers 19, since the guide surfaces 24C move along rollers 21 without transversely displacing rollers 21.

Each drive lever 19 has an arcuate portion 19a cooperating with a motor-driven rotary drum 1. In the normal position of rest illustrated in Fig. 1, all drivelevers 19 are separated from the rotary drive drum 1, but when a key is actuated, key levers 2, 2a is effective to move member against projection 19e of drive lever 19 whereby supporting lever 14 and drive lever 19 are displaced into a position in which engaging portion 19a engages the moving surface of rotary drum 1 so that drive lever 19 is rapidly turned in clockwise direction, resulting in a transverse movement of the respective roller 21 and counterclockwise turning of the corresncnding driven lever 24.

The carrier means 22 are turnable about an axis defined by pivot means 26a, as described above, and control means are provided for turning carrier means 22, and for holding the carrier means in a plurality of displaced positions. A roller means 36 is mounted on the carrier means 22. and since a spring means 41 tends to turn carrier means 22 in counterclockwise direction about its axis, roller means 36 is urged against an eccentric cam means 3S which is turnably mounted on the supporting means of the machine by a pin 34. A plurality of eccentric cams 38 is preferably provided which are mounted on a common pin 34. A hand wheel 37 is turnably mounted on the supporting means 13, and is connected by gear means 33 to all cam means 35.

Hand wheel 37 has around its periphery a plurality of projecting portions 39 whose number corresponds to the number of engaging portions of the cam track of cam means 35. Each cam means 35 is of substantially pofygonal shape with slightly depressed sides so that the roller means 36 rest on the respective cam track portion when the cam means 35 is turned whereby a plurality of angularly displaced positions of carrier means 22 is defined. Indicating means are provided on the Surfaces 40 between the projections 39 so that by reading of the indicia, the operator can determine in which angularly displaced position the cam means 35 hold the carrier means 22. As will be explained hereinafter, such indications are also a measure of the impact force exerted by the type means in the displaced positions of carrier means 22.

When carrier means 22 is turned by operation of the manually operated control means 37, 38, 35 out of the position illustrated in Fig. 1, the fulcrum means 23 will move toward the roller means 21. Thereby the lever arm between roller means 21 and fulcrum means 23 will be shortened so that a smaller turning moment acts on each driven lever 24 when the respective corresponding drive lever 19 is turned by drum 1. The force exerted by each roller means 21 on arm 24a remains the same, but since the lever arm is shortened, the turning moment will be varied, resulting in a different turning moment acting on the corresponding intermediate lever 26, and on the corresponding type lever 30. In this manner the impact force exerted by the type at the end of type lever 30 can be varied. At the same time, the speed of the rotary turning movement of driven lever 24 is also adjusted, since movement of roller 21 through the same circular path will effect turning of lever arm 24a through a greater angle when the distance between the fulcrum means 23 and the roller means 21 is reduced.

The intermediate levers 26 have hook portions 26e on which springs 33 and 33a act so that levers 26, type levers 30, and the entire type lever action tends to assume a normal position of rest after displacement by an actuated drive lever 19.

The type lever action operates in the following manner:

When a key lever- 2 is operated, actuating member 10 on arm 2a engages projection 19e of drive lever 19 and turns the same slightly about pin 18 of suppo-rt lever 14. At the same time, the respective supporting lever 14 is turned in clockwise direction about pin 15 and the respective roller 21 starts to roll along the guide surface 24C of the corresponding driven lever 24. Due to displacement of supporting lever 14 and drive lever 19, engaging portion 19a is engaged by the surface of the rotary drum 1 and rolls on the same in a rapid movement. Roller 21 which started a very slow movement under control of the key lever 2, is rapidly accelerated to move in a direction transverse to the guide surface 24C whereby driven lever 24 is turned in counterclockwise direction about fulcrum means 23. During the rolling of engaging portion 19a on the surface of the drum, support lever 14 is turned about pin 15 in clockwise direction until half of engaging portion 19a has passed over the surface of drum 1. In this moment, supporting lever 14 has reached its maximum angular displacement, and during further rolling of portion 19a on drum 1, supporting lever 14 returns to the position which it had at the moment of contact between drive lever 19 and drum 1. Due to this sequence of motions.

the comparatively rapid turning movement of supporting lever 14 produces an additional acceleration of drive lever 19 mounted thereon, which through roller 21 produces a further acceleration of the drive lever 24.

When the entire arcuate engaging surface of portion 19a has rolled over drum 1, supporting lever 14 returns under the action of spring 17 to its normal position of rest, while roller 21 is located in its end position relative to arm 24a of driven lever 24.

The rapid turning movement of lever 24 in counterclockwise direction effects through link 25 turning of the corresponding intermediate lever 26 and actuation of the type lever 30. Type lever 30 tends to bounce back after the impact on the platen, and the entire type lever action is urged by springs 33, 33a, 28 to return to the normal position of rest. It is undesired that portion 19a engages drum 1 during the return movement, which is avoided by the return of supporting lever 14 which turns in counterclockwise direction to its normal position of rest. In the normal position of rest of supporting lever 14, the distance between the axis defined by pivot 18 and the surface of drum 1 is greater than in the displaced position of the support lever 14. Consequently, engaging portion 19a is spaced from the drum surface during the return of the drive lever 19 in counterclockwise direction.

The operative coupling between member and projection 19C is also disconnected, since projection 19C passes behind the actuating arm of member 10 and turns the same about pin 9 against the action of spring 11. When key lever 2 moves again upwardly, projection 19C slides along the inner edge of member 10 until member 10 separates from projection 19e, whereupon member 10 is returned by spring 11 to its normal position of rest engaging a stop on member 12a.

The impact force of type levers 30 is adjusted in the following manner:

When hand wheel 37 is turned in clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1, cam means 35 is turned in clockwise direction through gear means 38, and roller means 36 roll on the eccentric cam track of cam means 35. The rising cam track of cam means 3S turns carrier means 22 through roller 36 in clockwise direction about the axis defined by pivot means 26a.

Fulcrum means 23 turn along a circular path about the axis of the carrier means together with the driven levers 24. Driven levers 24 do not turn during such movement, since the turning axis of links 25 defined by pivot means 26d coincides with the turning axis of the carrier means defined by pivot means 26a. Guide surface 24C moves along roller 21 without turning drive levers 19. However, rollers 21 are located closer to the fulcrum means 23 after adjustment of the position of the carrier means 22. Consequently the distance between fulcrum means 23 and roller means 21 is reduced and roller means 21 act on driven lever 24 with a shorter lever arm. Consequently the force acting on intermediate lever 26 through link 25 is reduced so that the impact force of all type levers is reduced when the carrier means 22 is turned in clockwise direction. Turning of carrier means 22 in counterclockwise direction by turning cam means 35 in opposite direction will increase the impact force of the type lever means 30.

Due to the fact that carrier means 22 are common to all type lever actions, adjustment of the manually operated means 37, 35 will vary the impact forces of all type lever actions.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of type lever actions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a type lever action driven by a rotary drum and being adjusted bv variation of the effective lever arm of a driven lever, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Adjustable type lever action comprising, in combination, a driven member for actuating a type means and having a guide surface; fulcrum means supporting said driven member for turning movement about an axis between a normal position and an operative position; a drive member engaging said guide surface of said driven member and being movable substantially transverse to said guide surface between a normal position and an actuated position for turning said driven member to said operative position so as to actuate the type means; and control means for moving said fulcrum means in the direction of said guide surface of said driven member whereby the lever arm between said axis of said fulcrum means and the point of said guide surface engaged by said drive member is adjusted for varying the turning moment transmitted from said drive member to said driven member.

2. Adjustable type lever action comprising, in combination, a driven member for actuating a type means and having a circular guide surface; fulcrum means supporting said driven member for turning movement about an axis spaced from the center of said circular guide surface between a normal position and an operative position; a drive member engaging said circular guide surface of said driven member and being movable substantially transverse to said guide surface between a normal position and an actuated position for turning said driven member to said operative position so as to actuate the type means; and control means for moving said fulcrum means along a circular path in the direction of said guide surface of said driven member whereby the lever arm between said axis of said fulcrum means and the point of said guide surface engaged by said drive member is adjusted for varying the turning moment transmitted from said drive member to said driven member.

3. Adjustable type lever action comprising, in combination, a set of driven members for respectively actuating type means, each driven member having a guide surface, said guide surfaces being parallel to each other; fulcrum means supporting said driven members for turning movement about an axis between a normal position and an operative position; a set of drive members, each drive member engaging the guide surface of a driven member and being movable substantially transverse to said guide surface between a normal position and an actuated position for turning said driven member to said operative position so as to actuate the type means; and control means for moving said fulcrum means in the direction of said guide surfaces of said driven members whereby the lever arm between said axis of said fulcrum means and the point of said guide surface engaged by said drive member is adjusted for varying the turning moment transmitted from said drive member to said driven member.

4. Adjustable type lever action comprising, in combination, supporting means; carrier means mounted on said supporting means for turning movement about a rst axis; fulcrum means mounted on said carrier means for movement with the same about said first axis and having a second axis; a driven lever mounted on said fulcrum means for turning movement about said second axis between a normal position and an operative position for actuating a type means, said driven lever having a circular guide surface having a center located in said first axis; a drive member having an engaging portion engaging said circular guide surface and being movable between a normal position and an actuated position with said engaging portion movable substantially transverse to said guide surface for turning said driven lever to said operative position so as to actuate the type means; and control means for turning said carrier means with said fulcrum means about said first axis so that said fulcrum means moves along a circular path parallel to said circular guide surface whereby the lever arm between said second axis and said engaging portion is adjusted for varying the turning moment trar-,smitted from said drive member to said driven lever.

5. Adjustable type lever action comprising, in combination, supporting means; carrier means mounted on said supporting means for turning movement about a first axis; fulcrum means mounted on said carrier means for movement with the same about said first axis and having a second axis; a driven lever mounted on said fulcrum means for turning movement about said second axis between a normal position and an operative position for actuating a type means, said driven lever having a circular guide surface having a center located in said first axis; a drive lever turnable about a third axis parallel to said rst and second axes between a normal position and an actuated position; roller means mounted on said drive lever for engaging said circular guide surface and moving substantially transverse to said guide surface during movement ofsaid drive lever for turning said driven lever to said operative position so as to actuate the type means; and control means for turning said carrier means with said fulcrum means about said first axis so that said fulcrum means moves along a circular path parallel to said circular guide surface whereby the lever arm between said second axis and said roller means is adjusted for varying the turning moment transmitted from said drive lever to said driven lever.

6. Adjustable type lever action comprising, in combination, supporting means; carrier means mounted on said supporting means for turning movement about a first axis; fulcrum means mounted on said carrier means for movement with the same about said first axis and having a second axis; a driven lever mounted on said fulcrum means for turning movement about said second axis between a normal position and an operative position for actuating a type means, said driven lever having a circular guide surface having a center located in said first axis; a drive lever turnable about a third axis parallel to said first and second axes between a normai position and an actuated position; roller means mounted on said drive lever for engaging said circular guide surface and moving substantially transverse to said guide surface during movement of said drive lever for turning said driven lever to said operative position so as to actuate the type means, the point of said roller means located opposite said guide surface being spaced the same radial distance from said first axis as said guide surface when said drive lever is in said normal position;

and control means for turning said carrier means with' said fulcrum means about said rst axis so that said fulcrum means moves along a circular path parallel to said circular guide surface whereby the lever arm between said second axis and said roller n sans is adjusted for varying the turning moment transmitted from said drive lever to said driven lever.

7. Adjustable type lever action comprising, in combination, supporting means; carrier means mounted on said supporting means for turning movement about a first axis; fulcrum means mounted on said carrier means for movement with the same about said first axis and having a second axis; an intermediate lever turnably mounted on said supporting means for turning movement about an axis spaced from said first axis and parallel to the same, said intermediate lever being adapted to be connected to a type means; a driven lever mounted on said fulcrum means for turning movement about said second axis between a normal position and an operative position, said driven lever having a circular guide surface having a center located in said first axis; a connecting link connecting said driven lever with said intermediate lever and being turnably connected to said intermediate lever at a point located in said first axis; a drive member having an engaging portion engaging said circular guide surface and being movable between a normal position and an actuated position with said engaging portion movable substantially transverse to said guide surface for turning said driven lever to said operative position so as to actuate the type means; and control means for turning said carrier means with said fulcrum means about said first axis so that said fulcrum means moves along a circular path parallel to said circular guide surface whereby the lever arm between said second axis and said engaging portion is adjusted for varying the turning moment transmitted from said drive member to said driven lever.

fl. Adjustable type lever action comprising, in combination, supporting means; carrier means mounted on said supporting means for turning movement about a first axis; fulcrum means mounted on said carrier means for movement with the same about said first axis and having a second axis; an intermediate lever turnably mounted on said supporting means for turning movement about an axis spaced from said first axis and parallel to the same, said intermediate lever being adapted to be connected to a type means; a driven lever mounted on said fulcrum means for turning movement about said second axis between a normal position and an operative position, said driven lever having a circular guide surface having a center located in said rst axis; a connecting link connecting said driven lever with said intermediate lever and being turnably connected to said intermediate lever at a point located in said first axis; a drive lever turnable about a third axis parallel to said first and second axes between a normal position and an actuated position; roller means mounted on said drive lever for engaging said circular guide surface and moving substantially transverse to said guide surface during movement of said drive lever for turning said driven lever to said operative position so as to actuate the type means; and control means for turning said carrier means with said fulcrum means about said first axis so that said fu'crum means moves along a circular path parallel to said circular guide surface whereby the lever arm between said second axis and said roller means is adjusted for varying the turning moment transmitted from said drive lever to said driven lever.

9. Adjustable type lever action comprising, in combination, a driven member having a circular guide surface; a turnable lever for actuating a type means; a link connecting said driven member with said turnable lever and being connected to said turnable lever for turning movement about an axis passing through the center of said circular guide surface; fulcrum means supporting said driven member for turning movement about an axis spaced from the center of said circular guide surface between a normal position and an operative position; a a drive member engaging said circular guide surface of said driven member and being movable substantially transverse to said guide surface between a normal position and an actuated position for turning said driven member to said operative position so as to actuate the type means; and control means for moving said fulcrum means along a circular path in the direction of said guide surface of said driven member whereby the lever arm between said axis of said fulcrum means and the point of said guide surface engaged by said drive member'is adjusted for varying the turning moment transmitted from said drive member to said driven member.

10. A type lever action as set forth in claim 9 wherein said link extends in a plane passing through the axis of said fulcrum means and through the axis which passes through the center of said circular guide surface when said driven member is in said normal position.

11. Adjustable type lever action comprising, in combination, a driven member for actuating a type means and having a guide surface; fulcrum means supporting said driven member for turning movement about an axiS between a normal position and an operative position; a

drive member engaging said guide surface of said driven` member and being movable substantially transverse to said guide surface between a normal position and an actuated position for turning said driven member to said operative position so as to actuate the type means; and control means for moving said fulcrum means in the direction of said guide surface of said driven member whereby the lever arm between said axis of said fulcrum means and the point of said guide surface engaged by said drive member is adjusted for varying the turning moment transmitted from said drive member to said driven member, said control means including a carrier member supporting said fulcrum means, and manually operated adjusting means for moving said carrier member with said fulcrum means.

12. Adjustable type lever action comprising, in cornbination, a driven member for actuating a type means and having a guide surface; fulcrum means supporting said driven member for turning movement about an axis between a normal position and an operative position; a drive member engaging said guide surface of said driven member and being movable substantially transverse to said guide surface between a normal position and an actuated position for turning said driven member to said operative position so as to actuate the type means; and control means for moving said fulcrum means in the direction of said guide surface of said driven member whereby the lever arm between said axis of said fulcrum means and the point of said guide surface engaged by said drive member is adjusted for varying the turning moment transmitted from said drive member to said driven member, said control means including a carrier member supporting said fulcrum means, and manually operated adjusting means for moving said carrier member with said fulcrum means, said manually operated adjusting means including a hand wheel having a plurality of projections and indicating means respectively associated with said projections for indicating turned positions of said hand wheel and thereby adjusted positions of said fulcrum means corresponding to different turning moments exerted on the type means.

13. Adjustable type lever action comprising, in combination, supporting means; carrier means mounted on said supporting means for turning movement about a first axis; fulcrum means mounted on said carrier means for movement with the same about said rst axis and having a second axis; a driven lever mounted on said fulcrum means for turning movement about said second axis between a normal position and an operative position for actuating a type means, said driven lever having a circular guide surface having a center located vin said first axis; a drive member having an engaging portion engaging said circular guide surface and being movable between a normal position and an actuated position with said engaging portion movable substantially transverse to said guide surface for turning said driven lever to said operative position so as to actuate the type means; and control means for turning said carrier means with said fulcrum means about said first axis so that said fulcrum means moves along a circular path parallel to said circular guide surface whereby the lever arm between said second axis and said engaging portion is adjusted for varying the turning moment transmitted from said drive member to said driven lever, said control means including manually operated adjusting means for turning said carrier means between a plurality of angularly displaced positions, and for holding said carrier means in said displaced positions.

14. Adjustable type lever action comprising, in combination, supporting means; carrier means mounted on said supporting means for turning movement about a first axis; fulcrum means mounted on said carrier means for movement with the same about said first axis and having a second axis; a driven lever mounted on said fulcrum means for turning movement about said second axis between a normal position and an operative position for actuating a type means, said driven lever having a circular guide surface having a center located in said first axis; a drive member having an engaging portion engaging said circular guide surface and being movable between a normal position and an actutaed position with said engaging portion movable substantially transverse to said guide surface for turning said driven lever to said operative position so as to actuate the type means; and control means for turning said carrier means with said fulcrum means about said first axis so that said fulcrum means moves along a circular path parallel to said circular guide surface whereby the lever arm between said second axis and said engaging portion is adjusted for varying the turning moment transmitted from said drive member to said driven lever, said control means including cam means turnably mounted on said supporting means for turning movement between a plurality of positions and engaging said carrier means for turning the same about said first axis between a plurality of displaced positions and for holding said carrier means in said displaced positions, manually operated means connected to said cam means for turning the same, and spring means acting on said carrier means for urging the same against said cam means.

l5. An arrangement as set forth in claim 14 wherein said carrier means includes a carrier member mounted for turning movement about said first axis, and a cam follower roller means, and wherein said cam means has a non-circular cam track engaging said roller means, said cam track having a plurality of holding portions determining said positions of said cam means.

16. An arrangement as set forth in claim 14 wherein said manually operated means include a hand wheel and means connecting said cam means to said hand wheel for turning movement, and wherein said hand wheel has a plurality of indicating means respectively associated with adjusted positions of said carrier means and of said fulcrum means corresponding to different turning moments exerted on the type means.

17. Adjustable type lever action comprising, in combination, supporting means; carrier means mounted on said supporting means for turning movement about a first axis; fulcrum means mounted on said carrier means for movement with the same about said first axis and having a second axis; a driven lever mounted on said fulcrum means for turning movement about said second axis between a normal position and an operative position for actuating a type means, said driven lever having a circular guide surface having a center located in said first axis; a support lever mounted on said supporting means for turning movement about an axis parallel to said first and second axes; means urging said support lever to a normal position; a drive lever mounted on said support lever for turning movement about an axis parallel to said first and second axes between a normal position and an actuated position; means mounted on said drive lever for engaging sai'l circular guide surface and moving transverse to said circular guide surface during movement of said drive lever for turning said driven lever to said operative position so as to actuate the type means, said drive lever having an arcuate engaging portion; a rotary drive drum located in the region of said arcuate engaging cisnes portion and being normally spaced from the same; means adapted to be controlled by means for moving said drive lever and ysupport lever to a position in which said arcuate engaging portion is engaged by said drive drum whereby said drive lever is turned to said actuated position; and control means for turning said carrier means with said fulcrum means about said firstaxis so that said fulcrum means moves along a circular path parallel to said circular guide surface whereby the lever arm between said second axis and said engaging means is adjusted for varying the turning moment transmitted from said drive lever to said driven lever.

18. Adjustable type lever action comprising, in combination, supporting means; carrier means mounted on said supporting means for turning movement about a first axis; fulcrum means mounted on said carrier means for movement with the same about said first axis and having a second axis; a set of driven levers mounted on said fulcrum means for turning movement independently of each other about said second axis between a normal position and an operative position, each driven lever being adapted to actuate a type means and having a circular guide surface having a center located in said first axis; a set of drive members mounted for turning movement independently of each other about a third axis parallel to said tirst and second axes and being turnable between a normal position and an actuated position, each drive member having an engaging portion engaging the circular guide surface of the associated driven lever, said engaging portions moving substantially transverse to the respective guide surfaces for turning said driven levers to said operative positions so as to actuate the type means; and control means engaging said carrier means for turning the same with said fulcrum means about said first axis so that said fulcrum means moves along a circular path parallel to said guide surfaces of said driven levers whereby the lever arms between said second axis and said engaging portions are simultaneously adjusted for all driven levers so as to vary the turning moments transmitted from said drive members to said driven levers to the same extent.

19. Adjustable type lever action comprising, in combination, supporting means; carrier means mounted on said supporting means for turning movement about a first axis; fulcrum means mounted on said carrier means for movement with the same about said rst axis and having a second axis; a set of driven ,levers mounted on said fulcrum means for turning movement independently of each other about said second axis between a normal position and an operative position, each driven lever being adapted to actuate a type means and having a circular guide surface having a center located in said first axis; a set of drive members mounted for turning movement independently of each other about a third axis parallel to saidiirst and second axes and being turnable between a normal position and an actuated position, each drive member having an engaging portion engaging the circular guide surface of the associated driven lever, said engaging portions moving substantially transverse to the respective guide surfaces for turning said driven levers to said operative positions so as to actuate the type means; and control means engaging said carrier means for turning the same with said fulcrum means about said first axis so that said fulcrum means moves along a circular path parallel to said guide surfaces of said driven levers whereby the lever arms between said second axis and said engaging portions are simultaneously adjusted for all driven levers so as to vary the turning moments transmitted from said drive members to said driven levers to the same extent, said control means including an eccentric cam means turnable between a plurality of positions, and spring means connected to said carrier means and urging the same against said cam means so that said carrier means is held by said cam means in a plurality of angularly displaced positions when said caml means is turned.

20. Adjustable type lever action comprising, in combination, supporting means; carrier means mounted on said supporting means for turning movement about a iirst axis; fulcrum means mounted on said carrier means having a second axis; an intermediate lever turnably for movement with the same about said first axis and mounted on said supporting means for turning movement about an axis spaced from said first axis and parallel to the same, said intermediate lever being adapted to be connected to a type means; a driven lever mounted on said fulcrum means for turning movement about said second axis between a normal position and an operative position, said driven lever having a circular guide sur- Jface having a center located in said first axis; a connecting link connecting said driven lever with said intermediate lever and being turnably connected to said intermediate lever at a point located in said first axis; spring means connecting said intermediate lever with said driven lever; a drive member having an engaging portion engaging said circular guide surface and being movable between a normal position and an actuated position with said engaging portion movable substantially transverse to said guide surface for turning said driven lever to said operative position so as to actuate the type means; and control means for turning said carrier means with said fulcrum means about said first axis so that said fulcrum means moves along a circular path parallel to said circular guide surface whereby the lever arm between said second axis and said engaging portion is adjusted for varying the turning moment transmitted from said drive member' to said driven lever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

